Our View: The scandalous way important decisions are taken

President Anastasiades chairing a meeting to review the Tseri Avenue redesigns on Friday

We were given a demonstration of the comical way in which the government takes important decisions last Friday. A meeting at the presidential palace attended by the president, three ministers, the mayor of Strovolos and a delegation of Tseri Avenue shopkeepers decided that plans for the widening of the avenue should be scrapped and new ones drafted. This was what the mayor and the shopkeepers wanted and, with elections five months away, the president granted their wish.

The contracts for turning this very busy, village-type road into a four-lane avenue have already been signed but will now have to be cancelled at significant cost to the taxpayer because the shopkeepers opposed its construction and they had the support of all the opposition parties. The parties, pressured by the protesting shopkeepers, voted against the expenditure item on the construction work in the state budget, thus blocking it.

The fear of losing a few hundred votes determined the position of the parties.

It was irrelevant that the existing, much-used road – narrow, always congested, without pavements, badly lit at night, anarchic parking on its sides – is dangerous for pedestrians, even according to Strovolos mayor Andreas Papacharalambous, who opposed the new plans. Long queues and traffic jams are a permanent feature of Tseri Avenue, which was why the government decided to widen it to four lanes. Traffic is certain to increase over the next 10 years and the existing road will become unsuitable.

The technocrats did all the necessary preparatory work, tenders were invited and contracts awarded.
After Friday’s meeting at the presidential palace, it was decided that Tseri Avenue would remain a two-lane road, but pavements and cycle paths would be included in the new road plans, that would have to be made from scratch. Plans for easing congestion and making the life of tens of thousands of road users a little easier were scrapped because a couple of hundred shopkeepers wanted to protect their businesses and the president, with his eyes on re-election, felt duty-bound to satisfy them.

The same thing happened some 25 or more years ago when the government decided to expand Strovolos Avenue to four lanes. All the shopkeepers protested wanting to keep the two lanes and dirt track on its sides so that their customers could park outside their shop, but they were ignored by the government because a four-lane road was needed to ease the traffic queues. If the government at the time had given in to the shopkeepers, the traffic chaos today would be unmanageable. Interestingly there are still shops all along the sides of Strovolos Avenue.

Friday’s decision by President Anastasiades was scandalously short-sighted and irresponsible because he opted for a two-lane Tseri Avenue, knowing very well that in 10 or 20 years’ time the taxpayer would have to pick up another bill for it to be expanded to four lanes.

17 Comments

Phytos Perdios

Moan, moan, moan. Big deal, people!! as if money for votes is a Gc phenomenon. Do me a favour!!!!!

Muffin the Mule

September 6, 2017 at 13:01

Appeasement of the masses for votes is omnipresent in this little and now permanently divided island.

Evergreen

September 6, 2017 at 13:43

Very correct.

Veritas

September 6, 2017 at 10:55

These kind of low level meetings are the only ones our President can handle as compared to the ones conducted outside the comfort zone of the Presidential palace in Cyprus.

Bob Ellis

September 6, 2017 at 10:52

CYPRUS 101 :What’s good for Cyprus does not count. It’s ‘Me, me, me’, act now with no thought of tomorrow and screw everyone else. Coupled with nobody having any accountibility or responsibility there is only one way this is all going to end. If Cyprus does not survive, nobody does.

almostbroke

September 6, 2017 at 10:04

If only the ‘chosen ones ‘ dident have to lower themselves to look for votes from the ‘great unwashed ‘ , it’s such an irritation , but what’s a few measly hundreds of thousands of taxpayers euro in cancellations when there are a few hundred votes on offer , with the election coming up , every vote counts .

DrJ

September 6, 2017 at 10:00

A terrible decision, on the other hand a four-lane road must be made in an organized way to avoid problems and trouble something never achieved in Cyprus due to corruption and mediocrity of the people responsible for the new roads.
In addition every new road must take into consideration the noise, pollution and the well-being of pedestrians something again missing all over Cyprus.
In conclusion Cyprus blessed to be a paradise is unfortunate to have below mediocrity politicians and residents.

Mike

September 6, 2017 at 09:25

Why is there cigarettes and an ashtray on the side table in a meeting in an enclosed space? and yes I know no one is smoking but what kind of message is it sending.

Whazzzzzzup

September 6, 2017 at 09:48

Either a pre-2004 photo or just another day in the life of the self-serving pampered buffoon.

Neroli

September 6, 2017 at 10:00

Has the photo been changed I can’t see them! Mind you I do have a car rental add covering most of the photo!! The ashtray is for throwing in case he gets tetchy!!

Pc

September 6, 2017 at 10:33

Mine is for Amazon India….

Neroli

September 6, 2017 at 11:23

Mines changed now to a Corporate Venue! So boring!

Pc

September 6, 2017 at 10:35

They are to the left of the president on a small desk next to him, below the table.

kypselian

September 6, 2017 at 07:26

most of the streets in the occupied part of nicosia are one lane and not even 2 lane, kept like this because of shopkeepers and akinci decisions. i wonder why nicks decision according to the writer is scandalous while Akincis one is not even mentioned.

Neroli

September 6, 2017 at 10:01

Because the article isn’t about the North, can’t you read?

Caulkhead

September 6, 2017 at 10:11

Maybe there isn’t the same congestion because the streets in the walled city are one way and illegal parking is not tolerated. Besides those streets are not through routes. The ones that are are very wide.

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